A Rich Aubergine Coconut Curry with Warm, Aromatic Spices
Thick-cut aubergine, pan-fried until golden, is paired with chickpeas for texture and a rich red Thai curry coconut sauce infused with lemongrass, ginger and basil. Vegetarian and vegan, the dish comes together in under an hour and pairs beautifully with rice, flatbreads or simple sides.
A warm, spiced coconut sauce and tender aubergine create a satisfying, meat-free dish with real depth. Built around aubergine and chickpeas, it’s also easy to adapt – add courgette, potato, sweet potato or pumpkin for a more substantial version.
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Aubergine Coconut Curry with Chickpeas
A heartwarming vegan and vegetarian curry recipe with a thick rich lemongrass and ginger sauce
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp red Thai curry paste
- 2 lemongrass stalks
- 2cm ginger piece
- 4 large cloves of garlic
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp brown or palm sugar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce + 1 tbsp lime juice mixed together
- 2 large aubergines
- 400g tin coconut milk
- 300ml vegetable stock
- 400g tin chickpeas, drained
- 5 spring onions
- 1 lime
- Thai basil or regular sweet basil leaves for garnish
Sides
- 480g basmati rice
- Heaped tsp of butter or margarine
- 4 heaped tbsp almond flakes
- Flatbreads recipe here for homemade versions
Instructions
- Trim the ends of the aubergines, cut into large, long pieces and season with salt, tossing around to coat each piece evenly. Leave to sweat for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, crush the garlic and chop the ginger. Trim the lemongrass stems, leaving only the thick white parts, discarding the green top and removing the first hard outer layer. Finely chop the lemongrass.
- Trim the top and bottom of each spring onion, then slice into 3-4 long pieces.
- In a large non-stick frying pan with plenty of oil, cook the aubergines over a medium heat until nicely caramelised on each side. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Heat a pan with a little oil and add the Thai curry paste. After 10 seconds, add the lemongrass and garlic and cook for another 20 seconds (be careful not to burn or dry out).
- Return the aubergine to the pan with the chickpeas, coconut milk, stock, sugar, turmeric and lime-infused soy sauce. Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and cook gently, uncovered, until the aubergine is tender but not mushy, about 15 minutes. By this time the sauce should be nice and thick. Add the spring onions and cook for a few more minutes until soft.
- Whilst the curry bubbles away, cook rice to packet instructions. When ready, stir through butter or margarine. Keep warm.
- Remove curry from the heat. Stir through minced ginger. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Allow the curry to rest for 5 minutes.
- Stir the almond flakes into the rice and warm the flatbreads.
- Cut the whole lime in half. Keep one piece whole and cut the other half into 4 wedges.
- Before serving, add the juice of the halved lime to the curry and stir to combine. Garnish with basil leaves. Serve with extra lime wedges, rice, pita bread and beer.
